Good news and sad news for fans of the Marvel hit, “Black Panther.”
For the sequel, late star Chadwick Boseman will not appear digitally recreated as T’Challa, the king of Wakanda.
In a Spanish interview with Clarin.com, Marvel’s SVP of Production Victoria Alonso put that rumor to rest. Alonso told the website:
“There’s only one Chadwick, and he’s not with us. Our king, unfortunately, has died in real life, not just in fiction, and we are taking a little time to see how we return to the story and what we do to honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected, so painful, so terrible, really. Because Chadwick was not only a marvelous human being every day that we spent together the five years we spent together, but it also seems to me that as a character what he did elevated us as a company, and has left his moment in history.”
Digital recreations became a hot topic in the last couple of years as Carrie Fisher was re-animated as General Leia for “The Last Jedi” after unexpectedly passing away (she is still much missed!) before the last chapter of “Star Wars” could be filmed. But Boseman’s passing is different, and Alonso is completely right.
Meantime, there’s speculation about how Boseman’s departure will be explained in “Black Panther 2” and what director Ryan Coogler and Marvel will do. Some say T’Challa’s sister, played by Letitia Wright, could become the new Black Panther. My guess is that Michael B. Jordan, whose sinister Erik Killmonger, died in “Black Panther,” will be back as his good twin or something. Without Boseman, Coogler must have Jordan in the movie, and this time as a good guy. Maybe the twins can fight each other! In comics, anything can happen!
